Brazil leaders condemn ‘terrorist acts’, vow to defend democracy

After pro-Bolsonaro protesters stormed government buildings in the capital, they set up a camp where about 1,500 people are being held.

The heads of Brazil’s three branches of government have made a rare joint statement condemning supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who broke into government buildings.

In a statement on Monday, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva joined the heads of the Supreme Court and the two houses of Congress in condemning the acts of political violence that happened in the capital, Brasilia, the day before.

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In a statement that was shared on social media, the leaders asked for calm “in defense of peace and democracy” and said that they “reject the terrorist acts and criminal, coup-mongering vandalism that took place.”

Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters who won’t accept that the ex-army captain lost the election stormed Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace on Sunday. Some of them called for the military to step in and put Bolsonaro back in power or get rid of Lula.

The incident happened just a few days after Lula became president on January 1. His election was one of the most controversial in Brazil’s history. In a runoff election on October 30, the leader of the left barely beat Bolsonaro. He got 50.8% of all the votes.

A man is being held while holding a Brazilian flag out the window of a bus.

In Brasilia, Brazil, on January 9, 2023, a camp set up by supporters of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro was taken down. A man holds a Brazilian flag out the window of a bus as he is taken into custody.

Bolsonaro never officially admitted defeat, but he gave the go-ahead for the new president to take over. He had said for months before the election that Brazil’s electronic voting system was prone to fraud, which made people worry that he would challenge the results.

Many of his supporters still think the vote was stolen, and in the days after he lost, some put up roadblocks. Others had set up tents in front of the military headquarters in Brasilia and asked the army to help.

On Monday, a lot of soldiers and police came together to break down the makeshift camp where about 3,000 Bolsonaro supporters had set up tents. Officials say that about 1,500 people were arrested at the protest site.

Large groups of riot police were sent to lock down the capital’s Three Powers Square, which is where the headquarters of the three parts of the government are located.

Justice Minister Flavio Dino said that the riot on Sunday was “terrorism” and an attempt to start a coup. He also said that police have started looking for the people who paid for the buses that took protesters to the capital.

“They won’t be able to destroy democracy in Brazil. “We have to say that fully, firmly, and with all our heart,” Dino said. “We won’t let political fights in Brazil go down the path of crime.” People treat criminals like criminals.”

At a news conference late on Sunday, Minister of Institutional Relations Alexandre Padilha also said that the buildings would be checked for evidence like fingerprints and surveillance photos to hold people accountable. He said that it seemed like the rioters wanted to start trouble all over the country.

People have compared it to the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, when supporters of former US President Donald Trump stormed the legislature to stop it from certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory.

It has also been criticized around the world, including by the leaders of Canada, the United States, and Mexico, who are meeting this week in Mexico City for trilateral talks.

In a statement released by the White House on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Vice President Joe Biden, and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said, “We stand with Brazil as it protects its democratic institutions.”

Carlos Pereira, a professor at Brazil’s Getulio Vargas Foundation, told Al Jazeera that the unified statement from Brazilian leaders was “a really bold and sound reaction” to what happened in the capital.

Pereira said, “It was sad to see all that destruction.” “However, you shouldn’t look at the stability of democracy from the aggressor’s point of view. Instead, you should look at how well the institutions can respond.”

He also said that it will be very important for Brazil to bring those responsible to justice, both to make sure they are held accountable and to stop others from doing the same thing. “It’s important to provide a response as soon as possible,” Pereira said.

Monday afternoon, Al Jazeera’s Monica Yanakiew reported from outside Congress that the area was calm again while the Brazilian government looked at the damage.

“These protesters could be accused of trying to start a coup, destroying public property, or destroying things with historical value, so it won’t be easy for them. “They won’t get off that easily,” said Yanakiew.

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